Today is Martin Luther King Day in the United States. A celebration of a man who paid a great price to try and guide America on a path of equality and acceptance for all.

There is no argument that the Reverend/Doctor Martin Luther King was a great man, and that he deserves recognition for his vigilance and hard work; but let me remind you that the United States does not celebrate any other holiday that is focused on a single individual.

The United States used to celebrate George Washington’s Birthday and Abraham Lincolns Birthday (separately). You cannot deny that both of these were great men who’s accomplishments are every bit as important as any other single individual you might name. Now, though, we celebrate a single holiday — President’s Day to celebrate the contributions of all presidents.

Yet me have adopted and celebrate a holiday for Martin Luther King.

I have a dream.

And that dream is that we move forward and rename Martin Luther King Day to Civil Rights Day, and celebrate all the individuals who came before Martin Luther King and after Martin Luther King as well as all those who worked with Marting Luther King to move this nation out of darkness and into the light.

The struggle for civil rights didn’t start with Martin Luther King, nor did it end with his death — it goes on today; and perhaps after the Bush administration diminished so many of our civil rights that battle needs to be escalated.

Join with me in petitioning your representatives to rename Martin Luther King Day to Civil Rights Day; and as we did with George Washington’s and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays we can leave those on the calendar along with a holiday that celebrates the unity of the struggle for all time.